"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." Edmund Burke

April 30, 2008

Al Gore has just raked in another $US700m from institutional investors, including the Victoria Super Fund. The monies raised will be dished out in lots of approx $US30m to "renewable energy; energy efficiency technologies; energy from biofuels and biomass; and the carbon trading markets." Supposedly, Gore has also taken a "sizeable stake" in the fund and is thus contributing to the humanitarian crisis caused by grains being used to drive cars rather feed people. But Gore has a Nobel Peace Prize. So there!

David Blood, who manages the fund said that:

The fact we were able to raise $683m was extraordinary...A fear expressed by some is that the first thing to go in a downturn is the nice-to-have sort of investment. Some people put green investments in that category, but we think that is nonsense. This is not nice-to-have – it is fundamental finance...because the transition from a high-carbon to a low-carbon economy is a ginormous step that is going to happen quickly

Update 30/4/08 6:00PM AEST: If this trend continues, then we will all be having to wear two jumpers in winter. And there will be some unhappy super fund members in Victoria. So much for global warming.

April 28, 2008

He said the event's catering manager could not distinguish between halal food - where animals, excluding pigs, are killed under religious supervision for hygienic and humanitarian reasons - and vegetarian food.

Halal food is prepared in anything but hygienic or humanitarian circumstances. Consider this video:

Three days ago, Australia celebrated ANZAC day, when we remember the servicemen and servicewomen that fell in the line of duty protecting our nation from other types of totalitarianism. Lance Corporal Marks, who is just a few years older than I, with a young family, should remind us that freedom comes with a price. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. Lest we forget.

Saw a man on the TV
In a mask with a gun
A man on the TV
He had a ten year old son
I saw a man on the TV
His son had a gun
He says that he’s coming for me

I never loved the soldier
Until there was a war
or thought about tomorrow
‘til my baby hit the floor
I only talk to God
When somebody’s about to die
I never cherished freedom

The other is by Wretchard at The Belmont Club. He notes that Syria's desire for nuclear arms is its own form of strategic deterrence "...against Western interference under whose protection they could advance their terrorist forces without hindrance".

I have some outstanding questions though:

What of the speculation at the time that the Israeli bombing of the nascent Syrian nuclear weapons facility "were a diversion for a daring Israeli commando raid, in which nuclear materials were intercepted en route to Iran and hauled to Israel"?

Or what of the speculation based on "well-placed sources" that instead, Israeli commandos had snared nuclear material from the plant and had it checked by the U.S. PRIOR to the air strikes being called in? This is particularly interesting, given that U.S. intelligence publicised in the last few days have suggested the bombing occurred before the Syrians had a chance to transport nuclear material to the facility.

Given the secrecy behind all of this, I doubt we will find out any time soon But the conflicting news reporting on this should raise at least a few eyebrows.

Update 28/04/08 10:10PM AEST: Let me point out an incongruency vis-a-vis Syria's response to Israel's bombing. Israel bombs Syrian nuclear weapons installation that, according to the most recent reports and intelligence, had no fissile material therein. What stopped Syria from violently protesting that the evil Jews had levelled an fertiliser or pharmaceutical plant? If fissile material was therein, a bombing of the plant would have led to a clear radioactive footprint with fissile material being scattered everywhere. Which could help explain why the Syrians bulldozed the bombed facility and built another larger building on top within a matter of months. The synthesis of this? My guess is that there was in fact fissile material in the facility at the time of the bombing. This would reconcile earlier reports that Israeli commandos took samples from the plant. Cloak and daggers indeed. Why the U.S. may have chosen to present intelligence to the contrary in the last few days is interesting. Perhaps to avoid heat being put on the U.S. to withdraw from the six-party talks with the NORKs?

April 20, 2008

The more I think about that, er, "summit of ideas", the more I am reminded of that "organizational weapon" which totalitarian Communism wielded in its bid for power in the Western Democracies. I recall the front organizations, the "useful idiots" who served as the public faces of such bodies, whilst the real powers that be kept themselves largely in the background.

Well, the rest of us may have started to forget, but the former pro-communist left certainly remember. So how do you "organize" a summit?

April 19, 2008

UPDATE 29: Laurie Oakes reports some of the dumber ideas. He also notes the stack: just one of the 100 summiteers discussing government opposed a republic. The ABC adds there was unaminity on a bill of rights and near unanimity on constitutional recognition of Aborigines. Congratulations to whoever stacked the delegates so brilliantly and shamelessly.

Indeed. Read the comments for the ideas that Rigid Rudd didn't ask to hear. And this gem from Tim Costello:

It would be fantastic if everyone could have their opportunity to speak… be we’re not going to do it.

You and the rest of Australia that aren't Rigid Rudd's mates or mates with one of Rigid Rudd's mates.